By-pass for rotary mud screens



Aug- 3, 1948. l. T. MINYARD 2,446,293

BY-PASS FOR ROTARY MUD SCREENS Filed Dec. 27, 1944 I IIIIIIIIJIII/III a by-pass for the flow line whereby the flow of Patented Aug. 3, 194-8 remoFFic This invention relates generally to rotary mud screens for cleaning shale and cuttings from the rotary or drilling mud employed in the drilling of oil Wells in which the mud is fed into the screen from the drilling unit by a conveyor trough or pipe, hereinafter referred to as the flow line, and thereafter passes through the screen into a receptacle or mud box. More specifically, the present invention is directed to the provision of the mud may expeditiously be diverted from the screen and caused to flow directly from the drilling unit to the mud box when it becomes necessary to use hulls, jell flakes, or the like, in order to restore circulation while drillng, it being understood that lay-passing of the mud is essential in such case as passage of the mud through the screen would remove the hulls or jell flakes therefrom.

Heretofore, drilling operators have found it necessary to remove the screen when the hulls or jell flakes are used in the mud, or to employ expensive valves and lines to cut the flow line completely around the mud screen. Obviously, such methods are time-consuming as well as expensive.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide novel and simple valve means suitable for use with the aforedescribed by-pass and adapted to effect the desired flow of the mud by a simple manipulation of the valve means;

Still other objects and advantages of the invention are those implied from'or inherent in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will become more clearly apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a, plan view of a rotary mud screen which employs a by-pass and valve means therefor according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the by-pass and valve means disclosed in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view as seen along the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the valve means in an inverted position.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention and more particularly to Figure 1, the numeral it generally designates an oil drilling system or equipment 4 Claims. (Cl. 21 0ll49) 1 2 including a conventional tubular flow line H to which drilling or rotar mud is 'supplied and through which the mud normally passes into rotating screen l2 for removing shale and cuttings therefromfthe mud thereafer passing through the screen and into the mud box or retainer it;

According to the present invention, a by-pass 54 also is provided which interconnects the flow line l I and mud retainer or receptacle l3 whereby the mud entering the flow line maybe caused to move directly therefrom to the receptacle l3,

this bypassing the screenl2.

The mud is caused to'flow from line I I into the screen, or selectively from line H into the by-pass i l under control of valve means generally designated l5'and pivotally disposed at the junction of the'flow line and by-pass as at I5. f

It will beunderstood that the flow line H and b y pass' I l may be of any cross-section suitable for the purpose, the only requirement being that the valve means 15 be formed in such a manner that when the valve means is in the position shown in" full lines in Figure 2, the opening between the flow line and by-pass be closed, and'when the valve means is in the dotted line position of Figure 2, that the flow line he completely out off so as to provide a continuous channel from theflow line through the by-pass only.

As disclosed, flow line! I is substantially square in 'cross-section, and, accordingly, the valve means I5 conveniently is' formed rectangularly, being comprised of a sheet of rubber H, or the like, adapted interfittingly to engage the side walls ll! of the flow line and being of sufficient length to seal the opening I9 in the bottom wall 2!! of the flow line and to engage the top wall 2i thereof when the valve means is moved about the pivot axis l6 through an angle of approximately forty five degrees.

The sheet of rubber l1 preferably is rigidly supported between a pair of steel plates 22 and 23 which are secured together as by rivets 24 and are formed somewhat smaller than the rubber sheet whereby the edges thereof extend beyond the edges of the plates thereby to permit the sheet yieldably to engage the walls of the flow line and thus provide a sealed connection therebetwe'en.

A rod 25 provides the pivot for the valve means and extends through and is secured to a tubular member 26 which preferably is welded or otherwise suitably secured to plate 22 along one edge thereof, substantially as shown. Rod 25 conveniently is journaled in the side walls l8, a packing gland preferably being provided as at 21 and the rod at that side being bent at right angles to provide a handle 28 whereby the valve means may be rocked about the pivot axis l6. Thus, in use, when it is desired to divert the mud from the screen and cause it to how to the mud box directly, it merely is necessary to manipulate handle 28 upwardly suiiiciently to completely close the flow line.

While the invention has been "described with respect to a specific structural embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible of additional embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by tlie ap pended claims.

Having thus described theii'i'vehti'oii, what is claimed is:

1. In an oil drilling system of the character disclosed, the combination -;of a "rotary mud screen, -a flow line ior conducting or --feeding drilling mud into the screen a mud receptacle for normally receiving the mud which passes through the screen, 'a conduit connected to the flow line and receptacle and :iorming -'a -by.-pass for feeding the mud directly from the fiowline to the receptacle, atwo position valve meansdisposed within the fiow line .at the, junction-of the by-pass therewith and operative, when in .the first :position thereof, to close theentra-nce end of the by-pass to prevent-flow of mud into the by-pass and operative, when in'the secondrposition thereof, to close-the flow: line, between the by-zpass andscreen, to prevent flow of mud from the flow line'into the screen "andto direct :the mud into the by-pass and means disposed-exteriorly of the flow line and in operative connection with :said valve means for -moving the same between said firstand second position at will.

2. In an oil :drilling system oi the'chara'cter disclosed, the combination of a. rotary mud screen, a new line for a'conducting cr -feeding drilling mud into the screen, a vmud receptacle for rnorriially receiving tithe mud which passes through the screen, Y a eonduitfconnectedto the flew rline and receptacle and forming ea .byepass for feeding the mud directly from rthefiow line to the receptacle, a two position valve means-dis posed within the'flow line at the-junction of the by-pass therewithand adapted when-in the first positionthereof to close the entraneeend of the flow line to prevent how of mud-into the 195 *6f the valve means between the two positions thereon and crank means disposed exteriorly of the new line and operatively connected to said *roe'i-io'r manually moving the valve means between the twopositions thereof.

33in an oil drilling system, in combination with afilow line for feeding drilling mud, a screen into which the flow line discharges and a receptacle for receiving-the mud from the screen; a conduit connected to the flow line and receptacle and l iorming a bypass around the screen from the'flo'wli'ne'to the receptacle, and a valve mounted the new line for alternately closing the entrance end of the by-pass and the discharge end of the 'flowline, between the by-pass and s'cieeic.

4/121 en oil drilling system of the character disclosed the combination of a mud screen, a main'cond'ui't "for conducting' or feeding drilling mud into'the screen,-a mud receptacle for normany receiving the mud which passes through me'sefeen, a bypass conduit for feeding the mud directly from the'main conduit to the mud rec'eptade'and avalve located in the main connearer closing'the entrance end of the by-pass conduit for causing the mud to flow from the main conduit to the screen, said valve bein movable to a position to close the main conduit, between "the by-pass conduit and screen, for 'cj'aiisin'g'the mud 'to'fiow from the main conduit thicughthe'by-pass directly to the receptacle.

IRA T. MINYARD.

REFERENCES CITED ilhefollowing.references -are-0f record in the file-of this :patent:

UNITED emcee PATENTS Number Name Date 1-,- 903-,g'z i Burrell e Apr. 18, 1933 2,329,295 Reagan Sept. 14, 1943 

